A liquid crystal display (also referred to as LCD hereinafter) is an element for displaying characters and images by utilizing electro-optical properties of liquid crystal molecules, and spreads widely in portable telephones, notebook computers, liquid crystal televisions, and the like. However, LCD utilizes liquid crystal molecules having optical anisotropy, so that there is a problem that excellent display properties are exhibited in one direction, while a screen becomes dark and unclear in other directions. A birefringent film is widely provided with LCD to solve such a problem.
A birefringent film such that a refractive index ellipsoid satisfies a relation of nz>nx=ny is known as one of birefringent films (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). The birefringent film having such a relation of the refractive index is produced in such a manner that a homeotropically-aligned side-chain-type liquid crystal polymer is applied on a substrate, subsequently homeotropically aligned in a liquid crystalline state, and solidified while maintaining the aligned state. However, a thinner-type LCD has been earnestly desired from the market. Thus, a thinner-type birefringent film has been demanded.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-011369